Many recent conversations about the North American oil and gas industry have been preoccupied with slumping prices and the impact on the stock market. Yet the oil and gas industry is also facing a year of increased public scrutiny and new safety requirements, particularly in the midstream sector.
U.S. and Canada Reviewing Crude Oil / Rail Safety Standards
The tragic 2013 Lac-Mégantic train derailment and other recent rail accidents have led both Transport Canada and the US Department of Transportation (DOT) to take a closer look at rail safety standards, particularly as they relate to the transportation of crude oil. Canadian Transport Minister Lisa Raitt met with U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx on December 18, 2014 to discuss aligning their regulatory approaches in the year ahead.
“Safety is a shared responsibility,” said Foxx at the time. “While we have different regulatory processes, we share a goal of ensuring the safety … Read more...